Calm Wind Blowing
by Traitor
Summary: Follow the adventures of a young Back Draft member... and learn something along the way. Must evil always be sheer black? For we are merely shades of gray...
1. Default Chapter

****

Author's Notes

This bit of musing is centered a decade or two after the Bit Cloud universe. Bit, Brad, Leena, and the rest of the gang are still around, but are for the most part retired, simply because the ZBC won't let them participate in any more official battles, seeing as they could never lose. After fifteen years of lying dormant, the Back Draft is beginning to pull itself back together. This story focuses on the life of one of the current members and her travels.

****

Reviews: I really, really, _really _like to get reviews that tell me exactly what I'm doing wrong. I've noticed that most of the reviews here--no offense intended to anyone, except perhaps flamers--are often very extreme in what they say. Either people would die for it, or they're flaming your tush off. If there's something you don't like, don't hesitate to tell me. It makes my day simply to get a review at all. And, yes... I love reviews. Gimme. ^_^ R&R, by all means.

****

Disclaimer: I may not own zoids, but I certainly own Yasu, Sparrow, and all the other quirky little characters you'll happen across here. Yes, all the zoids mentioned are actual, official zoids; I simply like the ones that never get shown nor mentioned in the series.

~~~

****

Prologue

"Hra!" 

With a grinding crunch of steel, the Command Wolf AC collapsed, its severed leg falling away at a right angle. Sand splayed out from the impact, sending dirt and grit cascading against the nearest wall, and off of its opponent. Its pilot, somewhat put out, began removing himself from the cockpit seat.

"That's a wrap, Yasu. Take your zoid back to the hangar, and report to your captain immediately," barked out the infinitely cool, calm voice of the acting judge of the match. In all reality, he was bored stiff with watching these amateurs battle. This one, while faintly more exciting than some of the others he had been unfortunate enough to witness, was hardly enough to keep him from yawning into his coffee cup. 

"Yes... sir..."

Yasu was not a particularly pretty girl. In fact, when you got right down to it, she was boring to the point of awe. Her hair was shoulder-length, a light mouse-brown that never seemed to lie quite flat at any given time. Her skin was as nondescript as the rest of her, devoid of anything that might mark her out from a crowd, other than a light spattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. At the moment, however, all that was visible of the girl was a slightly battered helmet, and a brown leather jacket that had seen better days.

But Yasu was not worried with her appearance at the moment. Right, the only thing her mind seemed to grasp was the swirling dizziness in her temples, and an annoying bead of perspiration that was making her nose itch. That had been hard, far harder than usual. She had been certain that Horus was about to crush her, during one point in the match. 

'Back to the hangar. Go back to the hangar, now,' she told herself mentally, her hands fumbling at the controls of her zoid. She needed a rest. A nice, long shower, and an even better sleep. She really, really didn't feel like reporting to her commanding officer at the moment. Not that she would willingly disobey any member of the Back Draft.

"Yasu, you may go back to the hangar now," the judge repeated after a moment, frowning from behind his Plexiglas window at the girl. He watched her nod, a little despondently, before piloting the mechanized feline away from the coliseum. He had seen her before, in other battles. She was nothing special, even if her zoid was a little... unique. Perhaps that made up for her being so blasted normal. With a barely audible snort, he checked something off on the notebook beside him, before calling out the names of the next two opponents.

It was not a particularly noteworthy zoid, despite the fact that it was the only one like it that belonged to the entire Back Draft Organization. In fact, most people would simply note that it was incredibly small, had a rather odd hair-do, before continuing on their blithe way. But to Yasu, it was her only solace from the world, and she would never find anything wrong with it.

__

The Saber Lion is, when properly piloted, a machine whose maneuverability and overall handling can rival that of a Blade Liger. It is a small, cat-like zoid that comes in a primarily blue paint scheme. As far as weapons go, it sports only two side blades, and a slightly longer 'sword' that can be extended from the front of its bulky head. While relatively agile and swift, the greatest problem with piloting a Saber Lion is the fact a pilot must sit on its back, and there is very little separating them from the oncoming projectiles of a rival zoid. The fact that the Saber Lion is strictly a close-range zoid is rarely overlooked, either.

It will be duly noted that most people wishing to live to a ripe old age seldom go anywhere near this particular make of zoid.

"Good job. Y'won again," drawled a feminine voice off to her right.

"...Yeah. Guess I did," Yasu mumbled, still staring up at the bulky head of her Saber Lion. She had forgotten to remove her helmet, and so far, seemed to have forgotten about it being there in the first place. She could still feel her heart pounding in her ears; the smell of smoldering metal and musty leather clung to her nostrils. 

"...Get back to your room, Yaz," the woman told her gently, laying a hand on her right shoulder. Yasu flicked a glance to look at the figure belonging to the hand. She was tall, and muscular, with a friendly but worn-looking face. Dull green eyes that were far more intelligent than she let on. Of course, what drew Yasu's attention immediately was the braid that extended past the woman's waist, flipped casually over one shoulder. And the fact that it was the sort of unnatural orange that one might find in a Crayola box.

"I can deal with it, Sparrow. I'll meet you back in the room, all right?"

Yasu turned, forcing a very faint smile up at her companion. It was obvious that the older woman--Sparrow--was not satisfied with that response, but she shrugged it off nonetheless.

"Whatever y'say. Just make sure you tell him that you need some time off, all right? 'Cause you do. You may not know it, but I do, and he certainly does. "

"Sir?"

The room was not what one would call 'small.' It was oddly shaped--the walls were concave curves, ending in a large, wide window that looked out onto one of the most prominently used coliseums of the Back Draft Headquarters. The walls and carpet were a dark maroon that somehow made Yasu feel a little on edge, though she had no clear idea why. A very shiny, very polished, very _expensive_ desk was sitting in the middle of the room, and behind it was a similarly expensive chair.

The man sitting in this chair was staring at his desktop, though one could not tell why exactly, seeing as the only thing on so-said desk was a paper clip. There was never anything on his desk; if there was, it was something completely inconspicuous. Like a paper clip.

"#583, reporting, sir," Yasu said in as loud a tone as she could manage in her quiet voice, walking a little farther into the red room. "I... just defeated Horus, sir. In the Command Wolf," she went on, fumbling a bit with her words. Finally, after a few moments of silence, she looked down, feeling very small and foolish. Maybe she should have lost. At least then she wouldn't have to go through this, like every other day of the week.

Of course, those that were always losing usually didn't stay with the Back Draft for long.

After what seemed like an eternity--according to the clock on the wall, however, it was only 18 seconds and counting--the commander looked up. There was a faintly smug expression on his narrow face, and his dark brown eyes seemed to gaze steadily at his charge without blinking. 'Like a lizard, or a serpent,' thought Yasu, but kept this firmly to herself.

"...Good. It will please you to know, I'm sure, that you will be leaving shortly." His voice was smooth, and his subtle tone implied that he was quite certain that she wasn't pleased at all, but that she had very well better pretend that she was.

She gazed at him, her weary mind trying to process that a little slower. Leaving? Why? People didn't just _leave_ the Back Draft. When they did, they mysteriously disappeared not long afterwards, and several weeks later their bodies were found floating in the nearest body of water. Or what was left of them.

"You will be going on assignment within the next two weeks, and will be gone for an indefinite amount of time. You will be given further instructions upon your arrival to Mercury City... understood?" Again, that barely visible smirk. He wasn't very impressed with this particular charge of his. This way, he wouldn't have to deal with her quite so often.

"I... ugh... Yes, sir." The words stuck briefly in her throat, which had decided to cease working a few moments ago to make up for the confusion reigning in her head. How could she be going on a mission so early? She _had_ been one of the more talented of the recently recruited members, but why not someone else? Someone who wouldn't be killed within the first four minutes of combat?

"Glad to hear it. You may leave now, #583." His brown eyes flicked up to her face, a smirk lighting up in them. He could fell her unease, and he certainly wasn't helping, which made his day seem a little better.

"You're late," Sparrow commented dryly, glancing up her from magazine. Yasu paused in the doorway, casting a blank glance around the cramped, messy room, before slouching silently into the bathroom for a much-needed shower.

Sparrow frowned, pouting faintly at the closed door, and began scribbling out a message onto a nearby pad of paper.

~~~

****

More Author's Thoughts: Aiieeeee... prologue-ishness. Blarg. x_X Not really much of a cliffhanger, either. Ah well.

I hope to get the first chapter up... at some point... hmn. Might start doing the actual first chapter, once I actually figure out what afore-mentioned chapter will be about. The more reviews I get, the faster it goes up or stays down... *Hint hint, nudge nudge* Hn. Ooh, also, wanted to mention that I kind've need some helpers, 'n' stuff...

If you think you know a good deal about fanfics in general, have a decent vocabulary, and would like to be a beta reader/plot helper, just email me at salukipawz@yahoo.com. Don't worry; I don't bite. Often.


	2. Angel Fly Away

****

Author's Notes: 

First Chapter, entitled, 'Angel Fly Away.' I'm hoping that it doesn't look as boring as it sounds to me right now. Most of it is pretty low-action in the beginning. Ah, but I fully intend to give you a cliff-hanger this time, yessiree...

****

Disclaimer: They're mine, all mine! Oh, wait... no they're not... -_-;; The little poems scattered throughout, however, are indeed mine. The title of this one is called 'Tired Angel.' I like it. It's... depressing, kind of. So what if I can't write poems for beans; I like it, so there.

~~~

__

Angel tired of her wings

Her life's a bit too stark

Leave a little light for me

When the way becomes too dark

Angel, come and fly with me...

Angel hold my hand...

Night cloaks us in black ink

Soul is shattered, hers as well

Someone come and wipe her tears

Though even now, she cannot tell

Angel, come and fly with me....

Angel fading fast....

~~~

****

Angel Fly Away

"Ugh."

It wasn't a particularly intelligent statement, but it was all Yasu felt up to saying.

"Why won't she just... grah... curse it all."

Sighing, the young pilot flopped onto the nearest coach, ignoring the mild groan of protest it gave her. In her hand was a slip of paper, hastily torn around the edges, left there by Sparrow. Yasu, her light gray eyes blank with fatigue and worry, leaned back against the out-of-date hunk of what could hardly be called furniture. She wasn't even quite sure what color the thing had originally started out as; as of then, it was a sort of putrid green that one might find in a sewer.

"Why does she think she needs to take care of me like this? Darn it..." She read the note again, frowned a little more deeply, and set it on the already crowded coffee table. From there, she could pick out the scrawling letters of her companion and resident roommate, and read them again, simply out of boredom and frustration.

__

Hey, Yaz. I'm going to be out for a while, be back ASAP. I expect a full explanation about it ('It'? How could she possibly know something was wrong?) _when I get back. I told you to tell him you needed a vacation. Just don't fret yourself bald, ok?_

__

P.S. You're giving yourself a gray hair, you know. I can see it from here. :-D

"...Does she think that I can't take care of myself? I thought I could. I thought I was doing fairly well, given the circumstances..." Yasu mumbled, a little bitterly.

"I thought I was doing a darned good job of it, really. I mean, you know... no breakdowns, no insanity, not even any broken bones. I don't think I've passed out in weeks... and she still treats me like I can't even hold my own."

'Maybe you can't,' interrupted a small thought in the back of her mind.

'Maybe you _can't_ fend for yourself. And now you're not going to have any help from her, or from anybody else, because _you're _going on assignment,' it continued, and Yasu simply gave up, leaning back a little farther so that she could stare at the ceiling. The plaster was beginning to crumble, and you could see the cracks in it through the coat of beige paint. A little to the left was a very neat, pea-sized hole; one of those nights where Sparrow had been goofing off, and accidentally gotten a pencil stuck up there. 

She would miss Sparrow, without a doubt. She had become a good friend, if not a little overbearing--and a tad odd--at times. She wasn't so sure the feeling was mutual; Sparrow had, in her relatively short life, lived through a lot. She had had her own missions, and her own friends; as of late, there were more of the former than the latter. What difference would it make to her, should she simply fail to return?

'Maybe I won't come back, ever again. Maybe it'll be my first mission, _and_ my last.' It wasn't a very pleasant thought, but Yasu figured that if she were going to go through with this, it might just to easier to come to terms with that fact. People died anyway; why not die now; get it over with early? Maybe make a tiny name for herself out in the world, instead of turning old and gray in a rocking chair.

It was with these thoughts in mind that the girl finally drifted off, her head cushioned beneath her thin arms. It was a peaceful sleep; she didn't worry about what was to come. In fact, she reveled slightly in the thought of leaving; maybe she would become a legendary warrior, the best of the best, fighting for a cause. That was more than most had. At least she had a cause.

The door slammed; a few pieces of loose plaster drifted from the ceiling. Sparrow stalked up to the small table, already packed with newspapers and odds-and-ends, dumping several bags of groceries onto a stack of magazines.

"Hey, Yaz! Yasu? Y'in there?" The woman poked her head around the corner, ducking reflexively as a pillow came soaring her way. It landed with a 'fwoof' against the far wall.

"Rise and shine, kid," she added in a cheerful tone, beaming down at the disgruntled Saber Lion pilot. Yasu's mousy hair was in disarray, her clothes were slightly rumpled, and she was having a little trouble walking in a straight line.

Yawning, Yasu slumped into the nearest chair, shooting a dirty look at her bouncy companion. A quick glance at the clock confirmed her suspicions; it was 1:30. In the morning. Why did Sparrow _have_ to be a night owl? Better yet, why couldn't she just let her have some blasted sleep?

"Oh, don't be so grouchy, Yaz. Look, I got you something. Catch." Without much more of a warning than that, Sparrow tossed a pint-sized carton of ice cream to her. 

Of course, Yasu didn't catch it. It took her a few more moments to even realize what it was. The carton landed with a tiny thud in front of her, and she simply blinked, trying to focus on the subject at hand. Oh, right. Ice cream. Catch. 

Though it was a bit too late for that.

"Umm..." Again, not a very bright comment on Yasu's part. She blinked a few more times, then sighed, laying her head in her arms. "...Thanks. I think. Can I go to sleep now..?"

"Not yet you don't, missy. _You_ have some serious explaining to do." Sparrow gave her a mildly serious look over one shoulder, halfway through putting the groceries in their proper places. It wasn't easy; the room was an absolute mess, and the fridge and pantry were in the same cramped, disheveled state.

"Ugh."

"Oh, come on. Can't be that bad. Unless they gave you janitor duty. But in that case, I would just get it over with now and throw yourself off a twenty-story building," she joked, poking a spoon in the younger girls direction.

Yasu simply glowered at her, stole the spoon, and began poking at her ice cream.

"...They're sending me on assignment. You know; go out there, try and get myself kill- Hey, quite laughing, darn it."

Sparrow tried to stifle the chuckle, shaking her head in slow admiration. Her response came a little late, as she had to go and retrieve another spoon before sitting back down again.

"A beginner mission? That's all that's got you worked up?"

"Well, I..."

"Don't sweat it, Yaz. The first few assignments you'll get will be easy. Easier than easy. In fact, you'll probably get _bored_, if they're going to do what they usually do."

"For you, maybe..."

"Trust me, kid. You'll do great. Who knows; maybe they'll even let me wave goodbye."

Ten days. It had been exactly ten full days before the captain finally asked to see her and the rest of her new 'team' again. It had been a brief meeting; he was laying down the rules, giving out the guidelines. It was to be a fairly simple procedure to get to Mercury City; you get in, get out, and do what you're told by your commanding officer. Though it wasn't actually going to be her job to go in and find out what was wanted.

She had begun to worry again. What if something went wrong? There was this gut feeling, deep down inside her, that told her something was going to screw up; namely that _she_ was going to screw up. It felt like someone was twisting her insides into a tight knot, making it hard to breathe, forcing the air out of her straining lungs. 

But Sparrow told her, again and again, that things would be all right. That nothing was going to happen. That she expected her to come back in one piece, complaining about the monotony of the whole blasted procedure.

"Don't give yourself gray hair, Yaz. It's just a little drill they give everyone. You'll do fine; you always do, and you know it. Now go and knock 'em dead, kid," she had said, clapping a hand onto Yasu's shoulder. 

That had been last night. They moved out today... and once again, the girl was having her doubts. About the mission, about life, about herself. Maybe she wasn't cut out for this job. Maybe she should just pack up now, catch a bus out of here; maybe live in a little town by the bay. Sell fish for a living, or something. 

Not that she ever would, of course.

"Formation D, move out!" barked Commander Riley. His harsh blue eyes took in the scene from his orange cockpit window; ten other zoids, their well-oiled gears rotating with quiet hums, began to walk at a slow pace away from the hangar. It was a slightly mismatched group; four Hel Cats, two Heldigunners, two Command Wolves, a Saber Lion, and a Spino Sapper. His own zoid, a highly polished Red Horn, trudged alongside the rag-tag group.

Riley sighed, punching out a brief command into his console system. It would be a short hike to Mercury City; most likely a very boring, hot one at that. Luckily, he wasn't stuck with some perpetually slow zoids to work with. He could still recall one assignment where he had been sent out with a battalion of antique Megaleons. He could have sworn that it had taken more than half a month simply to get out of sight of the Head Quarters building.

With a low rumble, the Red Horn continued on its way, letting him drift off occasionally as it went into autopilot. If he was going to be stuck with this job, Commander Riley thought, he should at least get a good rest every now and then.

Hot. That was the first thought that crept into Yasu's mind as she piloted the Saber Lion alongside her nine other fellows. There was a big difference between them and her, though. They all had cockpits; nice, cool, air-conditioned cockpits. Most of them were on high alert, and looked as though they were thoroughly enjoying this little outing. She, on the other hand, was having difficulties simply seeing past the cloud of steam that clung to the inside of her helmet.

"Hey, kid. Have fun," chimed the familiar voice of Sparrow from her comm. unit. Yasu looked up, trying to locate where her roommate's whereabouts. Ah, there she was... on a small outcropping to the regiment's left, a Lightning Saix was crouched, its fierce green eyes watching the little procession. 

"Y-Yeah, I will, Sparrow... stay out of trouble, all right?"

"Will do, kid. Don't get too bored while you're out." With a deep-throated snarl, the Saix turned, bounding back to the base. Yasu smiled, glancing back so that she could watch the swift zoid. Sparrow always had had a thing for fast machines... though that particular one was beginning to look a bit battered around the edges.

With a rumbling growl of its own, the Saber Lion trotted along, walking in the cooler shadows of the larger zoids.

"Here, catch!"

Deftly, Yasu raised one hand, trying not to grimace as whatever-it-was smacked into her sore palm. She had been manually controlling her zoid all day--being an older model, putting it into autopilot was not the wisest of ideas--and most of her simply ached to the core.

Taking a brief glance at what she'd been thrown, the girl frowned, trying not to look too disappointed. That was one thing Sparrow had forgotten to mention about missions... good food was a luxury that no one could afford. The package supposedly contained a turkey feast for four, complete with romantic candles and little--expensive--cafes. Just add water.

"I'll pass, Myr. I'm not that hungry tonight. I'll cook it for you though, if you like."

The young man laughed, grinning broadly. "Good. You know I couldn't boil water to save my life."

For anyone who didn't know any better, this would just appear to be a group of friends out roughing it for a couple of days. The younger members joked around, trying not to kill each other as they attempted to prepare the freeze-dried packets of food. The older pilots told stories of long-ago battles, most of them made-up out of thin air, others embellished to the point of insanity.

Who would ever suspect that these were outlaws, bandits, members of crime? Fighting for evil, trying to wreck everyone else's way of life? Not many ever did; no one ever saw them in this particular light.

Yasu smiled quietly to herself, staying out of most of the talking as she began dishing out the meal between three of her fellow recruits. Still, she didn't join in on any of the conversations; she never had been one for 'communicating.' She would when she needed to--unlike a certain loud-mouthed pilot she knew--and in the times between, just thought to herself. Which was why she was a little surprised when the group's attention was turned to hers truly. 

"Where do _you_ come from, Yasu? All of us... well... you know how it is. Down-and-out, looking for some quick money. What about you?"

The question took her off-guard. Her past? Why on Zi would they care to know about her? Lowering her eyes, she shrugged uncertainly, trying to avoid the inquiry as best she could.

"...It's nothing important. Just wandered up, I guess. You know."

Unfortunately, however, they didn't seem to know. The one named Myr leaned forward a little farther, cocking his head to one side. His bright blue eyes probed her, smiling in a cheerful, inquisitive way. In response, Yasu felt herself scooting backwards slightly, feeling a little more nervous about it than she had before.

"Nothing important, honestly. I've always had a boring life. Nothing special," she went on, her tone firmer this time. What business was it of theirs' to be pestering her with old memories? That's all they were. Just old, gray memories. 

"...Right. Hmph. Hey, did you hear the story about the ghost that haunts this desert?" The attention quickly focused on the newest speaker, and they soon forgot about Yasu as she slipped off into the darkness by herself.

Later that night, as the rest of the regiment slept soundly in their sleeping bags, Yasu was still tossing and turning. She just couldn't get to sleep like this! It seemed like every time she rolled over, she was laying on top of another rock. The night air was unusually pleasant for this time of year in the desert; rather than being too chilly, the air was just cool enough to make a midnight walk seem like a blessing. That was what she needed; a long walk would calm her jangled nerves and aching muscles.

Creeping silently through the camp, picking her way around the forms of her comrades, Yasu noticed something. Commander Riley was sleeping off to one side, and beside him, weighted down with a rock, were a map and compass.

'I'm sure he won't mind if I just borrow them. I'll put them back as soon as I'm done. After all, wouldn't do to get lost while I'm out,' she thought, bending over to retrieve the desired objects. Ah, good... he had thoughtfully marked out where there current location was. Also on the map was a mark indicating where Mercury City could be located. However, the coordinates of the base weren't anywhere to be found.

'In case it fell into enemy hands,' she reminded herself, sneaking away as Riley gave a quiet snore in his slumber.

The wind rushed past her ears; it stung her eyes, made her lungs gasp for breath. The Saber Lion leaned back its head and roared in pleasure, its voice echoing across the flat, sand-strewn landscape. It was a wonderful night for a run in her zoid... she loved it, dearly. The feeling of being free from everything else. She could escape from them, and more importantly, be free from herself and her worries.

Suddenly, the 'Lion came to an abrupt halt, forcing Yasu to lean forward against her restraints a little painfully.

"Huh? What is it?" she asked, scanning the night sky with her eyes. It wasn't often that the machine would choose its own movements, rather than her own; it preferred letting her make the choices. What could possibly have upset it so?

"What in the world..." The compass was beginning to act strangely; Yasu had placed it on the front of the console for easy reading, and her attention was attracted to it then. Where at first the slim needle had been pointing north-west, it now began to tip southward, then back up again, before spinning in erratic and confused circles. Something was tampering with it.

It took the girl a moment to realize it, but by then, it was too late. The five zoids sped past overhead, their engines running silently, their dark armor concealing them in the night.

The thought hit her hard, making her feel a little dizzy. They were Storm Sworders. Not the normal type... the Stealth ones. Triple S, they had been called. What were they doing out here? And in the middle of the night, too...

She hesitated, deciding to wait there for the moment, to see what might happen. It took several minutes before the faint sounds of battle reached her ears; the screech and explosion of a missile sent her Saber Lion into a snarling passion.

They weren't with the Back Draft.

~~~

__

Lead me just a little farther

Forget the heart you've carved from steel

Stroke my wings a little softer

A little love I hope you feel

Angel, come and fly with me...

Angel look my way...

Angel, promise, don't forget

To let me quell your fear

Angel please don't say goodbye

And leave me waiting here

Angel, come and fly with me...

Angel torn away...

~~~

****

More Author's Notes: Erg... ok, ok, not much of a cliffhanger... give me a break, darn it! It's my first fic, and it's hard to do much right... I was planning to make this really long, but I decided against it. Why? Because I felt like it, obviously.

Instead, I'm going to break the story up a little more. I plan on doing, say... oh, five, six chapters of varying lengths? Oh, and by the way, I'm warning you now; there is a reason why this story is under the 'Angst' category. There is no happy ending. Trust me. I'm aiming to make people cry when the end of the last chapter rolls around, got it?

You have been warned.


End file.
